Kevin Slowey is many things. He's a top Twins pitching prospect. He's arguably the best pitcher currently in the Florida State League. He's the ace of a staff battling for the first-half crown in that league. He's an FSL All-Star as a result and will pitch in the All-Star Game in Lakeland on Saturday.
But perhaps first and foremost, he's a Pittsburgh Steelers fan. That's why, with everything else going on -- the playoff race, the All-Star nod, the outstanding first full season of pro ball -- he will still always remember where he was when he heard the big sports news out of Pittsburgh: Ben Roethlisberger's motorcycle accident.

"I was driving back from the stadium and wasn't very happy about it," Slowey recalled.

That's the only thing upsetting Slowey these days. The Twins' second-round pick a year ago has been absolutely dominant with Fort Myers, posting a league-leading 1.10 ERA in 81 2/3 IP (also tops in the circuit). He's yielded just 48 hits and walked seven while striking out 92, good for second in the league.

That last number is perhaps the most surprising, since Slowey is not a power pitcher. He relies on command, so it attracts attention when he walks anyone at all.

"I've had a little trouble here and there," Slowey joked. "There was one game against Brevard, I walked three guys and I had a couple of people question whether I was injured.

"I don't rear back and throw 95 or 96, so it's important that I don't walk guys, and make them really earn their bases. With the great defense behind me, it's really helped me out this year, to really pound the strike zone and let the guys behind me do the work."

It's a formula that has worked well for Slowey and the Miracle. They led the FSL's West Division for much of the first half, but some untimely losses of late had them one game behind Dunedin with four to play, the final three to come after the All-Star break with Lakeland, the team just a half-game behind Fort Myers.

It's a tight race that won't be decided until after the All-Star festivities. So, for the weekend, Slowey will be teammates with his division rivals, and could have ample opportunity to tilt the race with an ill-timed wild throw taking out a key member of the Blue Jays or Tigers. Slowey, to his credit, wouldn't bite.

"Of course there's temptation, but I think that would be crossing the line, with any sort of physical attack on another player," Slowey laughed. "Lakeland and Dunedin are phenomenal teams. It's going to be a real race. Losing [on Wednesday to Sarasota] put us behind the 8-ball. We're going to have get the job done against Lakeland after the break."

The focus on the race has made it easier for Slowey not to think about when and if he might be promoted. His teammate Matt Garza moved up a month ago and is dominating in Double-A. Fellow FSL All-Stars Sean Gallagher and Jair Jurrjens also recently got the call in their respective organizations. Slowey is confident the Twins will know when the time is right, so he's not waiting by the phone for that call.

"I really haven't been given any indication and that's probably for the best, as much as I'd love to know when and where I'm going," Slowey said, "Especially here in the playoff race, these are the most important games in my season.

"I have a lot of faith in the Twins organization. They've done a great job of drafting and developing great players, and great pitchers especially. I'm sure when my time comes, they'll give me a ring, pat me on the back and send me up. Until then, the most important thing is to win these last games and put it away for the first half."

Before then, he'll get to enjoy being an All-Star. He hasn't been told when he'll get the ball in Saturday's game, but the timing could work out for him to be the West's starter, and face Brevard County's Yovani Gallardo in a match up of the top two arms in the league.

"This seems to be a pitcher's league, so any time you can be recognized as one of the better pitchers in the league, it's a real honor," Slowey said. "I haven't heard anything. I'm sure whether I start or throw the seventh, eighth or ninth, I'll be ready to come back for those last three games. With the talent that's going to be there, whether I throw the first or the ninth, it doesn't matter to me. I'm just looking forward to going and having a good time."

I'll take Slowey, just wish he would move up like Garza did to AA sometime soon. I do have them both right next to each other in my rankings though. They are both very good, obviously, but I like the "lights out" control that Slowey brings along with the good SO rate.

I already have Garza and Liriano in my keeper league, and as much as I like Slowey's numbers, I just don't want to have three twins pitchers taking up my 13 keeper spots (5 major leaguers and 8 minor leaguers).

I bidded on (and just WON) Garza (Mexican for Gas)...My second choice was Slowey.

*Because I had the last WW pick, I was worried about not getting Garza. It's a competetive 12 team CBS Keeper League... Edison Volquez and Humberto Sanchez were taken before Garza.

...I would have been happy w/ Slowey but I like Garza more after researching the two.

Here's a free article I read:

Written By: Jan Ramirez

The Twins organization and their scouting department led by General Manager Terry Ryan have always been praised in baseball circles as one of the best in baseball finding gems all across the country in various colleges and high schools. A system already stacked with pitching found 2 more gems to add to their treasure chess in the 2005 draft in Matt Garza and Kevin Slowey. Both proving to tremendous steals in the end of the 1st round and 2nd round respectively. Dominating Florida State League hitters , both have proven to be on the fastrack to the bigs. Through all their success , I’ve had a hard time figuring out which Twins arm is better. I wrote this article in hopes to find an answer. Remember your opinions always matter so don’t be afraid to give me your thoughts in the comments box.

Background and Intangibles
Garza: A 40th round pick by the Rockies out of High School in California in 2002 , Garza went unsigned and played his college ball at Fresno State where he was named Outstanding Pitcher and second team All-WAC in 2004 , Western Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year and first-team All-WAC in 2005. Getting chosen in the 1st round (25th overall) by Minnesota in the 2005 Draft. Garza has shown maturity and poise beyond his year’s , as he has grown up fast and has learned to deal with adversity due to having a child at a very young age.

Slowey: The Twins 2005 2nd Round pick (73rd Overall) , Slowey was a man against boys facing his Big South opponents during his college career arguably being the best pitcher in the conference without featuring dominanting stuff . A 3rd team Baseball America All-American coming into his junior year. A Pittsburgh native , Slowey went undrafted coming out of high school and got very few college offers taking a scholarship to Winthrop.

Advantage
Garza gets the edge here being the 1st round pick and bonus baby. However other then draft status Garza and Slowey are neck and neck when it comes to intangibles , as both have shown maturity beyond their years , overcoming obstacles during their high school and collegiate careers.

Physicality and Tools
Garza: Born Novermber ,11,1983 , Garza stands at 6’4” 190 lbs while throwing and hitting right handed. Featuring a fastball that can be anywhere from the low to mid 90’s complemented by a hard above average slider. Developing a 3rd pitch a changeup which right now is still very inconsistent , and like many young pitchers he struggles with control at times due to inconsistency in his mechanics.

Slowey: Born May ,4, 1984 , Slowey stands at 6’3” 190 lbs while throwing and hitting right handed. Features a fastball that tops out at 92 in which he can spot on both sides of the plate due to his excellent control. He complements that with a good slider and changeup , and while his stuff is not dominating , all his pitches are solid across the board.

Advantage
I think Slowey and Garza are pretty much dead even when it comes to physicality and tools. While Garza stuff is a bit better then Slowey’s , the overall polish of Slowey’s game and better control makes up for whatever he lacks in the stuff department.

Performance
Garza: In 3 years at Fresno State , Garza went a combine 13-14 with a 5.84 ERA striking out 218 while walking 102 in 241 Innings pitched for the Bulldogs. In his 1st professional season in 05’,Garza split the rest of the 2005 season at short-season Elizabethon and Low A Beloit in the Midwest League , going 4-4 with 89 K’s in 75 2/3 innings. This season Garza has been pitching like a man on fire , dominating Florida State League hitters with a 5-1 record with a 1.42 ERA 53 K’s to 11 walks in 44.1/3 innings for the Ft.Myers Miracle. Matt didn’t slow down after promotion to Double A New Britain, going 4-1 , 1.26 ERA , 47 K’s in 35 2/3 innings.

Slowey: Pitching 3 years for the Winthrop Eagles , Slowey went a combined 29-8 with 3.13 ERA and 328 K’s to 41 BB’s in 342 innings. In 2005 at two stops at Elizabethon and Beloit , Slowey went 3-2 with 84 K’s in 72 innings. This year much like Garza , Kevin is dominating the Florida State League putting the best ERA in minor league baseball at 1.10 while posting a 4-1 record with 92 strikeouts to only 7 free passes in 82 2/3 innings for the Miracle. A callup to join Garza in the New Britain rotation could come any minute now as he has nothing left to prove in High A.

Advantage
Slowey gets the edge in performance when you compare their collegiate career , as he totally blow’s Garza water having a +16 advantage in wins and almost a 3 run differential in ERA while having pitched about 100 more innings than Garza. Some might argue that the WAC is alot better conference then the Big South which there is some validity to that argument, however if you look at the 05’ draft class by conference and the 8 players taken in the first 10 rounds of the draft lead by Garza and Wade Townsend out of the WAC and compare that to the 5 taken out of the Big South lead by Slowey , Daniel Carte, Mike Costanzo and Bobby Parnell and the talent pool in the WAC wasn’t much better then what Slowey faced predominently in the Big South. Looking at the numbers these two put up at the professional level , and I’d have to give the edge to Garza being that he has performed well at every level to match Slowey plus six great starts at the Double A level under his belt. However I don’t think Double A will provide much of a hurdle for Slowey eithier.

Projection
Garza: When you combine Matt Garza’s size , stuff ,and mound presence and you’d be hard press to find a better pitching prospect in the minor leagues. Projecting a 1 or 2 starter in the big leagues , look for Matt to spend a good portion of the rest of the year at Double A ,which puts him in line to compete for a rotation spot by spring training 07’. However it’s more likely Garza spends the 1st half of 07 at Triple A Rochester working out the few kinks of his game until he proves to Twins management that they can’t keep him down no longer.

Slowey: Slowey projects on the high end as number 2 or 3 starter in the big league level , comparing favorable to current twins starter Brad Radke due to the Immence polish of his game and his ability to spot his low 90’s fastball on both sides of the plate effectively. He should be up in Double A New Britain any day now and should spend the rest of 2006 in the Eastern League. He then should start 2007 at Rochester where performance will dictate how quickly he gets to the majors.

Overall
If I had to write up a Twins Top 10 Prospect list right now Garza and Slowey would be 1 and 2 respectively on that list , that’s how highly I think of these two arms and if I’m a Twins fan I couldn’t wait till 2008 when they could quite possible have the best young rotation in baseball with Johan Santana , Francisco Liriano at the top with Garza , Slowey and Scott Baker rounding out what could be a fantastic staff staff until of course they become arbitration elegible and the small market Twins can’ afford them anymore. Now on deciding which arm is better , I’d have to give the edge to Garza for the simply fact he has more dominating stuff , as he and Slowey ae pretty much neck and neck in all of the other categories.

------

BTW I signed up for Rotowire and saw John Sickels revised top 100...because it's a pay site I won't post it , but I will say he had Garza at 15(Lester at 14)!!! Slowey was 57.